Fiber-cleaning machine



w. S. GROVE' FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. l, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet.1

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March 25, 1924. 1,487,738

w. s. GROVE FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1', 1920 5 sheets-sheet 2 will :milhm' March 25 1924. A l,487,738

v W. S. GROVE FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. l, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,IIIIII-l "IllinIIIHHII WITNESSEJ w f, /lvl/E/VTOR f z- 5,

March 25, 1924.

W. S. GROVE FIBER CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filled Dec BY @www /l/S TUI? EVS March 25 1924.

W. S. GROVE FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. l, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A//s Mmm/Zas Fatented Mar. 25, 1924.

Urrea WINFIELD s. GROVE, F MANILA, ifHILPeINE isnanns.

rIB-ER-GLEANING Massime.

Application mea December 1, 19.2.70.; seri-a1 nel 27,1539.A

To all fio/'1.0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VINFIELD a citizen of the United States', and a resident of the city of Wanila7 Philippine `Islands7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fiber-'Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specifi-v cation.

The invention relates to machines for removing pulp and waste .material from fibrous vegetable substances and it is also adaptable for use in the cleaning of the bers in the substance. The machine is particularly adaptable for obtaining hemp liber. such `as manila hemp', from the original leaves or strips and it is also adaptable for treating other fibrous substances such as sisal, maguey, pineapple leaves or the like.

The object of the present invention is to construct a machine which is suitable for the purposes desired that will be cheap and easy to manufacture and by means of which there can be obtained a large quantity of treated or cleaned fiber at a comparatively small cost.

According to the machine which isthe subject of the present application use is made of gripping jaws that pull the stock through a set of deco-rticating tools arranged at or near the end of the path of travel of the gripping jaws.

As showing certain specific embodiments of the invention reference is made tothe drawings forming a. part of this specilication and in which dra-wings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinally7 extending vertical sectional view taken as on the line 1-1 of Figure 2. l

Figure 2 is a plan view partially broken away of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure is an end view partially broken away of the saine machine.

Figure et is a vertical sectional view taken as on the line 1 -5L. of` Figure 2. i

Figure 5 is a longitudinally extending vertical sectional view partially broken away showing a machine embodying the invention in a somewhat different form from that shown in Figures 1 to 4f.

S. Grnovn,k

riage.

nieuwe is a verticasectioml View partially broken away taken as on the line 6 -6 of Figure F looking Vin the direction of the arrows. M p c Figure 7 is a plan view partially brokenaway of the machine shown in Figure 5.

Figure 8 isv a detailed view illustrating; theposition of Ycertainof the parts at the time when one of the sets of gripping jaws is in position to receive therein a piece of stock to be treated; and

Figure 9 is a view taken als on the linev 9&9 of Figure 7.

In the form of machine shown Figures 1 to 4f there is a main frame 1 which cornprises transverselyk extending upright endm'em'bers o1 housings 2 and@v which are C011,-V nected by longitudinally extending inembers e located midway 0f. their height, and a centrally arranged longitudinalr- LV extending member 5- This` member 5 serves as a suitable construction to provide a track or raceway 6, Gland may be in the form of a channel the upstandin'g legs of which provide the track members. A carriage 7 having Vwheels or rollers 8 mounted upon the track and there is provided a screw means 9 for propelling the carriage along the track. This screw is mountedin bearings 10 that are carried by the end-members or housings 2, amilV it enl gages a nut-member 7a on the carriage and is driven from the belt 11 through the .medium of tight and ,loosey pulleyslla, shaft 11b, the reversing `gear 12, the shaft 13 and the chain and gear mechanism 14C. Due to the reversing gear at 12 this screw can be rotated in opposite direct-ions so as to irmpart a rezriprocatory movement to the can The reversing` gear `E1.2- comprises as a part thereofk shifting sleeve 15 that is under the control of a lever 16. The lever 16 carries atrthe upper end thereof a spring pressed buffer ,17` that'is (arraxiliged in the` path @fa stop-or `projection 18 that is lon the carriage. The lever 16 is ,also connected through the medium of a link 19 toanother lever 20 which is at `the other end of the inachine. The lever 20also hasa 'spring ypressed buffer 21 which is in the path of a stop or projection 22 that is on the carriage. As the spring pressed butter 21 is engaged and forced toward the left by the stop 22 it will force the upper end ofthe lever 2O to the left thus exerting a pull on the link 19 and forcing the lower end of the lever 16 and sleeve 15 from the left toward the right int-o the position shown in Figure 1. lVhen in this position the screw is being driven so as to move the carriage in the direction of the arrow A shown in said Figure 1. When the carriage is moved to the right in the direction oi the arrow a suiiicient distance the stop 18 will engage the spring pressed buiier 17 and force the lower end of the lever 16 and sleeve 15 from their `present position to the lett whereby the screw will be rotated in the opposite direction so as to move the carriage back in al direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow.

Tn the Jform of apparatus shown in these figure's there are four sets of transversely extending decorticating tools each of which sets of tools is designated by the reference character 23. There are two sets ot decorticating tools at each end of the machine7 one set at each end ot the machine being at one side of the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set being at the other side or the longitudinal center of the machine. There are also four sets of stock gripping jaws each of these sets being designated by the reference character 24. Each set of these gripping jaws is arranged so as to cooperate with one of the sets of decorticat-ing tools 23. There are two sets of gripping jaws at each end of the carriage 7 one set at each end of the carriage being at one side of the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set being at the other side of the longitudinal center of the machine.

Each set of decorticating tools preferably comprises a movable knife 25 and a resisting member 2G opposed thereto. The resisting member is preferably tixedly secured in place although it may be made a movable member if desired. The knife, however, is preferably made movable so as to permit of the ready entrance of a piece ot stock into the space between said decorticating tools when the knife thereof is out of' operative position. The knife 25 may he moved from and toward operative position as through the medium ot the eccentric sha-tt construction 27 that is operated by the handle 28.

In Figure 1 the aws 24 at the left hand side of the machine are shown in the position which they occupy at about the time the piece of stock is about to be drawn through they space between thc decorticating tools. The jaws areV held in gripping position by means of a sliding bolt 29 which is forced inte position by the operator pressing mamas against the handle This handle Bt) has a transversely extending bearing 31 which serves to simultaneously force into locking position the sliding bolts that are on opposite sides of the machine. When the sliding bolt is in the position shown in Figure 1'it will be observed that the gripping jaws at the right hand end ot the carriage are permitted to be held open by means ot the springs 32 that are located between the jaws.

The form of apparatus shown in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive comprises transversely extending uprights or housing members 2 and 3 and the centrally arranged longitudinally ez-tending member 5 that provides the tracks for the carriage 33. This form ot.' machine has tour sets of decorticating toolsv Si one in each corner of the machine ln other words, there are two sets of decort`cating tools at each end of the machine with one ot the sets at one end of the machine at one side ot the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set at the same end at the other side of the longitudinal renter of the machine. The carriage has gripping jaws that cooperate with the several sets of decorticating tools; in other words, there are four sets ot stock gripping jaws two at each end of the carriage, with one set of the jaws at cach end being at one side of the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set ot jaws on the other side ot the longitudinal center of the machine. The carriage is also provided with hand operating means 86 which serves to lock or hold in gripping position the jaws at one end of the carriage and also to hold in open position the jaws at the other end of the carriage. This is accomplished through the medium ot the handle 37 which is pivotally mounted on the carriage 3S and to this handle there is connected a set of links 39 which is pivotally connected at t() to the jaws at one end of the carriage and at el to the handle.

A corresponding` construction is provided between the handle and the jaws on the other side of the carriage and when the link 1s holding anyv of the jaws in gripping position the link constitutes a part of a toggle link construction of which the handle constitutes another part A set of stops 4:2 is provided on the carriage to serve as limiting means whereby the toggle link members can be moved only a slight dist-ancepast thc center as they are moved to locking position. It will thus be observed that when the jaws at the left hand side o't the machine are being held in gripping or closed position the jaws at the right hand of the machine are held open by the mechanism just described. There is located adj acentto each of the sets oi? decorticating tools 34 a set ot rollers L13. These rollers may be referred to as auxiliary feed rollers since their func# tion is kto assist vthe gripping jaws in pulling a piece of stock being operated upon through the space between the decorticating tools. The rollers 43 are preferably spring pressed toward each other so that they can yield and can conform to the work, but they v are mounted upon the free ends of bell crank levers 44 and 45. Each of these levers has a part arranged in the path of movement of the carriage 33, that 'is they are arranged in the path of the movement of the vertically extending members 46 so that as the jaws travel in the last portion `of their movement toward the decorticating tools the feed rollers will be forced apart against the pressure of the springs due to the vertically extending members or ears 46 engaging the levers 44 and 45 whereby the gripping jaws that are being moved toward the decortieating tools will be permitted to pass between tlie rollers. The decorticating tools comprise the yieldab'le knife 47 and the resisting member 48, ythe latter of which is preferably fixed on the end member of the machine. The knife is preferably mounted in a swinging housing 49 so that it can be swung away from the gripping jaw to the position shown, for example, at the right hand side of Figure 5 or in Figure 8. The knife when in operative position is normally spring pressed toward the, resisting member 4-8 by means of the spring members 50, the compression of which is controlled by means L of an adjusting nut 51.

In Figure 8 the rollers 43 which may bel referred to as auxiliary feed rollers are shown in the position which they occupy, when the gripping jaws are between them and `are to receive a piece of `stock which can be caused to enter the space between the decorticating tools, due to the fact that one of the decorticating tools has beenY moved from operative position. The construction of the machine at each side thereof is substantially the same and also the construction of the machine at each end thereof is substantially the same. The swinging knife member is retained in operative position by means of a spring 52 (see Figures 6 and 7).

The upper knifemember or decoi'ticating` tool 47 is slid-ably mounted iu the pivotal members that together in eilect serve as the pivotal housing for the sliding member 47. The members 53 have pins or journals 54 and 55 which are secured in place as through the medium of pins 56. The journals 54 and 55 are mounted respectively in bearings 51 and 58 that are on the end mein-Y bers or housings of the main frame of the machine. Upon the pivotal members 53 there are mounted sciews 59 around which the springs are located. The lower end of each of these springs 50 engages a yoke 60 at the upper end of the knife 47, thus irovidino' a com arativel sim le but `riv "d construction for holding the knife in place and lalso for permitting the knife to be withdrauui fromv operative position.

`Reference hasheretofore been made to the spring 52. It will be observed that one end of this spring is secured at 6l to a boss oi' ear on the bearing 58 and that the other end of the spring is secured at 62 to the pin 55, the tension of this spring being sufficient to normally tend to press and retain the knife 47 and the pivotal housing therefor in upright position. The housing enga-ges suitable stops 63 whereby while the stock-is being pulled through the space between the decorticating tools the knife 47 and the housing therefor will be maintained in proper position. The means for operating the carriage .that carries the gripping jaws. comprises a screw- 64 that is driven through the medium lof the tight and loose pulley construction at 65. The shifting of the belts that operate the tight pulley is under the control of the construction which comprises shifting arms 66 and 67, the cam 68, the link 69, the arm 70, the shaft 71, -arm 72, link 73 and the lever 74. This lever 74 has at the upper end thereof a spring buffer 75 which is engaged by the stop 76 at one end of the carriage 33 so as to shiftone of the belts on the tight pulley when the carriage reaches one end of its travel. The lever 74 is connected by means of a link 77 to a companion lever 78 that also has a spring buffer 79 to enga-ge a stop' 8O at the other end ofl the carriage 4whereby when the carriage reaches the end of its travel in the opposite direction the `lother belt will bejshifted on the tight pulley thus causing the carriage to -travel in the proper direction. If desired a@ receiving npan or tro-ugh can be se cur-ed in place underneath the travel of the jaws to receive anyv dbris or substance fall-V ing from the stock being treated. This pan i -1 is indicate-d in Figure 4 by the reference character 8l and is secured in place to the central track construction by means of screws 82. l Y

The improvements herein set forth are not limited to the precise construction and arrange-ment shown and `described for they mayk be embodied in various forms and modifications without depart-ing from the spirit and scope of t-he invention.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A machine of the class described con-iprising in combination a main frame hav-l ing standards at each end thereof, a centrally arranged longitudinally extending track thereupon, al carriage mounted uponA said track, said carriage having four sets of stock gripping jaws, twosets at each Vend of the carriage, one set being' at one side of the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set at theother side'thereof, corr ice izie

spending sets of decorticating tools, two at each end oit the main trame, one set being at one side ot the longitudinal center of the machine and the other set being at the other side thereof, and means for reciprocating the carriage.

2. L machine ot the class described comprising in combinationy a longitudinally extending member providing a track, two sets of decorticating tools at one end of the track. and on opposite sides thereof, a carriage mounted so as to move along said track, said carriage having gripping jaws at opposite sides thereof in cooperative relationship with respect to said decorticating tools, and means for reciprocating said carriage and jaws toward and from the decorticating tools.

3. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a longitudinally extending member providing a track, a earriage mounted upon said track, means for reciprocating said carriage along said track, gripping jaws on said carriage, decorticating tools located at an end of said track, feed rollers cooperating with said gripping jaws, said rollers being constructed and arranged so as to permit the gripping jaws to pass into the space between them when the rollers are moved away from each other.

4. A machine ot the class described comprising in combination a main trame support-ing at each side thereof decorticating tools that are mounted so that the tools ot each set can be moved relatively to each other to permit of the insertion ot a piece of stock between them, a longitudinally extending member providing thereupon a centrally arranged track, a carriage mounted so as to move along said track and carrying gripping jaws arranged in cooperative relation with respect to said decorticating tools, and means on said frame for reciprocating the carriage which means is controlled in its operation by said carriage.

A machine of the class described comprising in combination a main frame having a centrally arranged track member extending longitudinally of the frame, transversely extending end-members, a plurality of sets of decorticating tools, one of said sets being located at one side ot the longitudinal center ot the machine and the other of said sets being located at the other side of the longitudinal center of the machine, a carri age mounted so as to slide along said track, said carriage having at each end thereof gripping jaws arranged to cooperate with the decorticating tools, and a common jaw closing means constructed and arranged so as to hold the jaws at one end of the carriage in gripping position, a centrally arranged longitudinally extending screw for reciprocating the carriage along the track, a power means for operating said screw,

memes and means under the control of the carriage tor determining in what direction said screw shall be rotated.

6. A machine ot the class described coinprising in. combination transversely extending decorticating tools arranged so that they can be moved relatively toward and from each other so as to permit the introduction of stock into the space between the tools, gripping jaws mounted so as to move toward and from' the decorticating tools, and auxiliary eed rollers arranged on the delivery side of said tools so as to assist the jaws in pulling a piece of stock being treated through the space between said decorticating tools when the latter are in operative relation in respect to each other, the auxiliary feed rollers being mounted so that the gripping jaws can pass into the space between the rollers when the gripping aws are about to be supplied with stock to be treated.

7. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a main frame having transversely extending end housing members and a longitudinally extending track member secured to said housing members, a set of transversely extending decorticating tools mounted upon one of said housing members which tools are mounted so that they can be moved from operative position relatively to each other so as to receive between them a piece of stock to be treated, a carriage, means for reciprocating said carriage along said track,V jaws carried by said carriage and arranged to grip a piece of stock and pull it through the space between said decorticating tools, and rollers mounted on the frame of the machine and driven so as to assist the jaws in pulling the stock being treated, said rollers being mounted so that during the linal part ot the approach ot the jaws toward the decorticating tools the rollers will be moved away from each other to permit the jaws to pass between them, and a common means for actuating said rollers and for reciprocating the carriage carrying the` jaws.

8. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a main frame having transversely extending end-members, a longitudinally extending member providing a track, a. set ot transversely extending decorticating tools at each end of the 'fi-ame, a set ot transversely extending feed rollers located adjacent to each set ot decorticating tools, a carriage on said track, means for reciprocating said carriage between said sets of decorticating tools, stock gripping jaws at each end of the carriage, means for locking one set ot said jaws at one end of the carriage in closed position and for permit-- ting the jaws at the other end of the carriage to be in open position, rocker arms supporting the feed rollers which rocker arms are constructed and arranged so that llO they will be engaged by the carriage as it approaches the decortioating tools at the end of the machine toward which the carriage is being' moved whereby the gripping jaws can pass between the feed rollers, reversing means having members arranged in the path of travel of the carriage for controlling the operation of the ineens foi' reciprocating the carriage, and means for operating the feed rollers.

This specification signed and witnessed this 20th day of September A. D., 1920.

VVINFIELD S. GROVE. Signed in the presence of* A. C. PRESTON, E. A. HEIsE. 

